The Washington critic., 1887-04-16
STATE CONTROL OF RAILROADS
IN EUROPE.

One of the most Interesting chapters
in "Railroad Problems" new and
valuable work to which reference Is
elsewhere made, is that which treats of
government control Of railroads. ltis
of peculiar interest, for the reason that
the question is growing rapidly upon
the public mind, both in this country
and England, the lu,erstlte Commerce
act passed at the last session of Con.
gress being an ou'croppint Of this
sentiment in the United States.
The statistics alluaed by Nc. Jeans
in the chapter mentioned, rs 10 the
economic results Of State control In
European countries, furnish strong
practical arguments in i'S favor,
and 1t is somewhat singular that
England should b. the only nation
in Europe which has failed to recog.
Mise the importance Of u system that
has proved so cllicnclous upon the
continent An act Of Parliament passed
in 1914 authorizes the purchase by the
Government of railroads then existing
or to be built thereafter upon certain
conditions, but that Is all the legisla
tion ever enacted in that direction. The
subject has been acitated from time to
time, and was considered in great de.
tail by the Government Commission of
1867. but there 1t has rested. All the
roads of great Britain remain in the
hands of private companies, while
many of the continental roads are
either absolutely owned or managed Ia
part by the government.
Comparative statistics, rs between the
roads controlled by the Government
and those controlled by private corp).
rations, are largely in favor of the
former, so far as cost of maintenance,
traffic expenses and economy of admin
istration are concerned. Whether
there Is sufficient similarity of condi.
,lons between the railway systems Of the
United States and Europe, to warrant
the expectation of like results in this
country, Is question for future deter
minatlon; but the tendency of popular
opinion runs that way and with gather.
ing strength. 1t will depend good
deal upon the railroad companies them
selves, whether they force an issue that
will make the people the masters of the
situation.
Mr., Jeans, who writes from an En-
glish standpoint says
II the postal AMI telegraph systems We're
properly taken under Government control,
there seems much more rclsnn why the rail.
road system should be-, since railroads are
not only used by all, but exercise power
and influence on our social and business re-
lations that no other single element can
claim 10 do Bat above AMI beyond all TIL,
there Is the future to be- considered, II Il be
true that civilization Is co'n"ilent with the
extension of commerce, aud that not only the
prosperity Of country within It's uwl
borders, hat It's place IN the family Ot nl
tlons Is determined by the variety and mag
nitudc of It's Industrial interests then uu.
doubiedly it may beargusd that railways are
real arblters ofna'iouJl d,s,.nics.
II view OF the fact that every per.
son in this country is interested, di.
rectly or indirectly, In the railroads
Ghey employ 100000 people, support.
ing a total OF 3,0OD,0JJ of the popnla.
tion and an equal number rec i've in
come from their investments in rail-
roads,, sufficient attention has not been
given TO the advantages TO be derived
from the abolition of favoritism aud
uniform classification. The necessity
for reports Of the railroads, in uniform
manner, has each year become more
apparent, and will be regarded by all
investors as most valuable safeguard
against improper manipulation Of &c
counts. Regardless of what may ulti-
mately become of the fourth section Of
the Interstate Commerce law, the
Commission has come to stay and en-.
force these most important features.
TIE decision of Judge Don A. Parlce,
United States Judge for the Fifth. Ju.
dicial Circuit, in which he instructs the
receivers Of the Texas and Pacific Rail-
road to put their own construction on
the long and short haul clause of the
Interstate Commerce act, as II affects
their transportation rates to and from
the city of III Paso, will necessarily
have the effect of bringing the points
in controversy 10 an early judicial dc.
termination. II should be asccrtained
as soon MS may be, whether Congress
and the Interstate Commissioners as the
representatives Of the people, or the
courts and railroad corporations are t;
prevail in this matter,
MR. GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS hay
ing condesceuded toinform the countr,
that Mr. Cleveland cannot be rc-cl.cte,
10 the Presidency, aud that Goyerno
Hill stands no earthly show for til
nomination and that neither Sherma
nor Blaine will do on the other side, "
are kept in state Of great incertiud
as TO what then. Mr. MacBrido Wi
please hold further consultation wil'
the great Mugwunpiun oracle.
--.---
Do NOT forget the lecture to be dJ
livered by General George y. Sheridl
at the National Theatre to MORO,
evening. His subject Is "The Moder
Pagan" as typifed in the religion
views and methods of Colonel Rober
G. Ingersoll, and the oralorIcal grac
and energy with which he handles thi
theme constitute a rare intellectual re
past.
DURING the discussion of the Coer
cion bill In the House of Commons las
night several exciting episodes occurret
in which Mr.. Saunderson, a Conserva
tive member, was repeatedly called
liar by Mr.. Healy and Mr.. Sexton. s.
sharn was the collomy that the House